AC Milan confirm Leonardo exit
Leonardo has confirmed that he will quit as AC Milan coach by mutual consent after the Serie A side's last game of the season.
The Brazilian has been under pressure for several months and despite guiding Milan to a third place finish, securing qualification for next season's Champions League, he announced on Friday he would be leaving the San Siro.
"We are here to announce that we are parting ways through mutual consent, in a calm and serene manner, just as it has always been in our relationship throughout the years," Leonardo said.
"There's nothing surprising. Everything is very clear today, as always. We have arrived at the end.
"The Champions League aim, which I desired so much, has been achieved and this morning we have decided to make it official. The time to end this adventure has come."
Leonardo succeeded Carlo Ancelotti, who moved to Chelsea in 2009, and had a further year to run on his contract with the Rossoneri.
But AC Milan were knocked out of the Coppa Italia by Udinese earlier this year and suffered a heavy defeat at the hands of Manchester United in the Champions League round of 16.
The Rossoneri had opportunities earlier this month to leapfrog Inter Milan into first place in the Scudetto race but failed to take advantage of them.
With Leonardo gone, AC Milan will be looking for a new coach for the second successive summer, much to the disappointment of club vice-president Adriano Galliani.
"I am evidently very saddened,'' Galliani said. "I must say that I had to work hard last year to convince Leonardo to become the coach. "Now we arrive to this decision and naturally, it has been a joint one."
"Leonardo is 40 years old, he has been a player, an executive and a coach of Milan. With Milan, Leonardo has completed a journey. Leo began his adventure with us in 1997 and there is a 13-year rapport there.''
Former Cagliari manager Massimiliano Allegri and Leonardo's assistant coach Mauro Tassotti have both been linked to replace the South American.
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